Today, we are sharing a delicious Crock Pot Buffalo Sloppy Joes Recipe! It is the perfect slow cooker dinner recipe that tastes amazing.
Crock Pot Buffalo Sloppy Joes
I admit when I took this picture, I put way too much sauce on top of the sloppy joes. The funny thing is when I went back to make another sandwich for a photo, everyone had already dived into the CrockPot and started dishing up dinner.
Going sauce-happy for the photo seemed like the right thing to do. You can go heavy or light with the sauce; it is up to you. This recipe is a sloppy joe recipe to have a few extra napkins at the table with you. It is saucy and so good!
Ingredients
Here is a quick overview of the simple ingredients needed to make epic Crock Pot Buffalo Sloppy Joes!
The printable recipe card at the bottom of the post includes specific measurements and step-by-step instructions.
Buffalo Sloppy Joes
- Ground Beef
- Onion
- Dry Minced Garlic
- Chili Powder
- Tomato Sauce
- Tomato Paste
- Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wings Sauce
- Cider Vinegar
- Salt and Black Pepper
Sauce Ingredients
- Celery
- Green Onion
- Sour Cream
- Ranch Dressing
- Crumbled Blue Cheese
- Buffalo Wing Sauce
Equipment Needed
- CrockPot: We suggest using a 6-quart crockpot with a digital timer that automatically switches the slow cooker to warm after a set time to ensure your dinner cooks perfectly without stressing about cooking time.
- I use a Hamburger Mix and Chop to make it easy to break up the ground beef while it is cooking.
- A Spider Strainer makes it easy to remove the ground beef and let the grease drip before adding it to the slow cooker.
- Wooden Spoon
How to Make Crock Pot Buffalo Sloppy Joes
I've included complete instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here's a quick version.
- In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat, breaking up beef until browned.
- Transfer beef mixture to Crock Pot, stir in garlic, chili powder, tomato sauce, tomato paste, wing sauce, and vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook
- In a small bowl, combine celery, green onion, sour cream, ranch dressing, blue cheese, and wing sauce.
- Spoon sloppy joe meat mixture on the bottom of a toasted bun, top with sauce, and enjoy!
Preparation and Storage
Make Ahead: This slow cooker Buffalo Sloppy Joe recipe takes 2.5 to 3.5 hours on high or 5 to 7 hours on low to come together in your CrockPot, giving you time to work on other menu items or simply relax until it’s time to eat.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy them within three to four days.
Freezing/How to Freeze: Freeze leftover Buffalo Sloppy Joe mix in an airtight, freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag and enjoy them within three months.
How to Reheat: You can reheat leftover portions using your microwave, stovetop, or a CrockPot set to low, depending on how much you need to heat up.
Recipe Variations
Substitutions:
You are welcome to use your favorite bottled buffalo hot sauce.
You can use ground turkey or ground chicken to make buffalo chicken sloppy joes instead of beef if you prefer these meats or do not consume red meat.
Vegetarian Option: Replace the ground beef with your go-to ground meat substitute to make this recipe vegetarian.
Vegan Option: In addition to the guidance for vegetarians, vegans should replace sour cream, ranch dressing, and crumbled blue cheese with plant-based alternatives. Many hot sauces are vegan, but check the label on your buffalo sauce before getting started.
Gluten-Free: The ingredients in this recipe are generally gluten-free, but check for a gluten-free label on the buffalo wing sauce and ranch dressing if you are highly sensitive and want to avoid cross-contamination.
Smaller Serving Size + Larger Group/More Servings: We use three pounds of ground beef to make eight servings of Buffalo Sloppy Joes. Scale the written recipe up or down to your desired yield, working in batches as needed if you scale up.
Make It Spicy: The spice level of your sloppy Joe mixture depends on how spicy your buffalo sauce is, so choose an extra spicy one if you enjoy the heat!
Sugar-Free: The written recipe contains 5 grams of sugar per serving. Use a sugar-free tomato sauce, tomato paste, buffalo wing sauce, and ranch dressing to make it sugar-free.
Tips for the Best Crock Pot Buffalo Sloppy Joes
- Do you have a lot of leftover Buffalo Sloppy Joe mixture and want ways to use it beyond sliders? Check out our Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and CrockPot Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole!
- Nutrition information, including calories, protein, calcium, carbs, fiber, vitamin c, potassium, cholesterol, sodium, trans fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and more, will vary depending on the products used.
What to Serve with Crock Pot Buffalo Sloppy Joes
These CrockPot Buffalo Sloppy Joes are game-day-friendly! Set your slow cooker on low during the big game, and keep toasted buns and other sandwich condiments on the side for a quick slider station!
Here are some menu planning suggestions.
Sides: CrockPot Chipotle Honey Meatballs, CrockPot Swedish Meatballs, CrockPot Cranberry Barbecue Meatballs, CrockPot Spicy Mango Jerk Wings, CrockPot Mexican Chili over Fritos, CrockPot Honey Sriracha Barbecue Wings, CrockPot Beer-Braised Kielbasa , Air fryer mixed vegetables
Check out our favorite side dishes for Sloppy Joes
Main Dishes: CrockPot Chili Mac and Cheese, CrockPot Bacon Mac and Cheese, CrockPot Kielbasa and Sauerkraut, CrockPot Beer Chili, CrockPot Cuban Pork Sandwiches, Buffalo Chicken Wontons, CrockPot Bacon Ranch Chicken, CrockPot Buffalo Sloppy Joes
Desserts: Red Velvet Brownies, Chocolate Coconut 5 Layer Bars, CrockPot Mixed Berry Cobbler, Black Bean Brownies, Easy Homemade Banana Bread, Salty & Sweet Ruffles Marshmallow Treats, Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies, Molasses Cookies
Drinks: Coke Slushie, Kool-Aid Slushie, Red Robin Freckled Lemonade, Brazilian Lemonade, Sonic Ocean Water, CopyCat McDonald's Sweet Tea, Watermelon Agua Fresca
When to Serve
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Potlucks
- Family and Friends Gatherings
- Game Day
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Crock Pot Buffalo Sloppy Joe Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Ground Beef
- 1 Onion chopped
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
- 8 oz Tomato Sauce
- 6 oz tomato paste
- ⅔ cup Buffalo Hot Sauce
- 2 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Sauce
- 2 Celery finely chopped
- 1 green onion finely chopped
- ½ cup Sour Cream
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- ⅓ cup Crumbled Blue Cheese
- 1 teaspoon Buffalo Hot Sauce
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat, breaking up beef until browned
- Transfer beef mixture to crock pot, stir in garlic, chili powder, tomato sauce, tomato paste, wing sauce and vinegar, season to taste with salt and pepper
- Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, or high for 2.5 to 3.5 hours
- In a small bowl combine celery, green onion, sour cream, ranch dressing, blue cheese and wing sauce
- Spoon sloppy joe meat mixture on the bottom of a toasted bun, top with sauce and enjoy!
Kitchen Tools
- Slow cooker
- Hamburger Mix and Chop
- Spider Strainer
Nutrition
Crock Pot Buffalo Sloppy Joes Recipe originally shared on October 28, 2015. Updated October 2020
Irina David
I love everything buffalo style. This crock pot buffalo sounds amazing!
Nicole B
YUM! I am going to have to try to spice things up next time we have sloppy joes. I bet these are so good with Buffalo Sauce.
Barb W.
Yum! What a great idea! We haven't had Sloppy Joes in awhile and I think my kids would love this recipe. Thanks for the mealtime inspiration!
Ashley S
Oh yum this is absolutely mouthwatering!
Scott
I should know better than to look at food posts before lunch. Now my stomach is growling!
Heather Johnson
I have not had sloppy Joes in years, not since I was a kid. This recipe sounds much better than the kind that I last had!